The present invention generally relates to methods of performing internal surgical procedures and to apparatus for performing such operations. More particularly, the invention relates to cardiac-operations for reinforcing the ventricle and improving the function of its wall by patching the myocardium with autogenous muscle segments and using the omentum as an extra blood supplier.
Cardiomyopathy is a common disorder. Many thousands of cases are reported yearly and thousands die of cardiomyopathy every year in the United States. The most widely used method of treating this disorder includes inotropic diuretic and beta blocker. Recently the method has included utilizing trained autologous latissimus dorsi myoplasty which requires six months training by pacemaker. Therefore it is clear that time and major surgical procedures are drawn-backs of the existing technique for treatment of cardiomyopathy.
The present invention resolves a number of the aforesaid problems while providing major advantages over prior art methods. One object and significant advantage of the present invention is the ability to perform a cardiomyoplasty utilizing an autogenous, non-autogenous or gene feted free muscle without significant incisions in the chest and abdomen with their attendant blood loss, potential for infection and possible scars.
It is a further object of the present invention to patch the myocardium with integrated free autogenous, possible non-autogenous or gene feted isolated striated muscle segments by cardiomyoplasty to reinforce the ventricle and to improve the function of the diskenytic ventricular wall.
It is a still further object of the present invention simultaneously to bring the omentum up to the myocardium without severing its natural blood supply.